Tashi is a character I loved as a child. I first discovered him when I was in Berkelow Books with my mum and I just fell in love with his cheeky little smile which sometimes looks like my cheeky smile! I remember the first time I read the first book, I fell in love with this odd little character who has such a personality and stories to tell.

The book starts with Jack telling his parents how he met Tashi and how Tashi came to his country with the usual scenario of kids telling off their parents because – as with all people’s – parents they always say the wrong thing at the wrong time. I think even I’ve done that in my younger days. He also tells us a story of how he met the last dragon, even though his granny had warned him not to go anywhere near them. But what will happen when he goes as a chivalrous young man to see the dragon?

The fabulous drawings by Kim Gamble are done in pencil with light shading, which makes them appear very calm and innocent. They set the scene so that the writing mainly focuses on the plot. The drawings are not always of the full scene so they allow your imagination to run wild with the kind of place you think it might be like. But the way she draws the characters themselves makes them appear as if they are about to jump out of the page and come to life because of how detailed they are, from their costume to their facial expressions.

The idea of story-telling is a personal favourite because it allows people to add their own interpretations of the characters and to make the story more exciting by adding bits on. I went to school with a girl whose mother loved to tell stories about her family and I remember i would sit in anticipation for the next part of the story and that is where I started my love for writing stories.

This little boy, Tashi, immediately caught my attention because he was different to the other boy in the story. Tashi had his own personality which you saw throughout the story whether it was in his appearence, by his actions or in the way he told the story of the dragon.

The story of the dragon was most intruiging because they gave this mythical creature a very human personality and lifestyle. I loved his moodiness and arrogance which made me laugh and reminded me of people I know. This is I think one of the key parts of a story, no matter who the characters are or what the plot is, you must relate to people’s daily lives and emotions.

This book by Anna and Barbara Fienberg is great for children because it’s a funny, mythical and it’s a short story. It’s amazing for adults also, because it allows them to be children again and to indulge in a whole new world. Overall this thrilling tale of Tashi is great for all ages because it transports you to a world of infinite possibilities!

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Published by EmilyLovesLondon

I live in London and I wrote book and film reviews for youth magazine when I was younger called Exposure which inspired me to start my blog. I love films, books, TV shows, the theatre and dance which is what I write about on this blog.
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